Sr. OT Network Engineer

Title

Sr. OT Network Engineer

Department

Information Technology

Evans & Chambers Technology is seeking a highly motivated Network Engineer to join our team!

Evans & Chambers partners with the US national defense community to create fully integrated, resilient, and innovative digital solutions that enable them to make smart decisions in real-time. We work with our customers on everything from conquering their data to improving and safeguarding IT infrastructure. Our ultimate goal? To enhance our nation's ability to identify, address, and act – no matter what challenges arise.

Location: On-Site in Indian Head, MD
Clearance:Must be a US Citizen with ability to obtain a Secret clearance

Role Overview:This role is responsible for the end-to-end design, implementation, and evolution of a secure, private, air-gapped OT network. The engineer will be the initial and sole network authority, owning technical decisions from assessment through deployment, with designs reviewed and certified by external stakeholders.

Core Responsibilities:
Assess the existing network and industrial infrastructure, including switches, firewalls, cabling, and servers, to determine:

• Hardware reuse opportunities

• Up gradability and lifecycle risks

• Security and compliance gaps relative to DoD / Navy standards

• Security posture and compliance risk

• Operational reliability and uptime

• Cost, procurement lead time, and vendor supportability

Design a private, air-gapped OT network architecture from the ground up, including:

• VLAN and subnetting strategy aligned to industrial control boundaries

• Secure zoning between PLCs, HMIs, control rooms, and server rooms

• Isolation between multiple control/manufacturing groups with no lateral communication

Architect and implement a private OT network that integrates with a newly deployed private 5G backbone being built and operated by a separate team integrating:

• Private 5G connectivity between control rooms, server rooms, and operational areas

• Fiber connectivity from manufacturing buildings to their associated control rooms

• Clear security boundaries between wireless, fiber, and core infrastructure

Hands-on implementation of all network infrastructure, including:

• Racking, cabling, labeling, and power coordination

• Configuration of Cisco and Dell network equipment

• Firewall rules, routing, switching, and management plane access

Enable secure OT data flows, including:

• PLC → HMI communication within control rooms

• Controlled PLC/HMI data forwarding to centralized server infrastructure

• Protection of industrial systems from unintended access or broadcast traffic

Produce and maintain authoritative network documentation to support compliance certification, including:

• Logical and physical network diagrams

• IP address management and VLAN maps

• As-built and as-designed artifacts

• Clear security boundaries and documentation for RMF/STIG review

• Logging, segmentation, and access controls required for auditability

Build the network as a scalable platform, not a one-off deployment, ensuring:

• Additional control/mfg groups can be added with minimal redesign

• Capacity, addressing, and segmentation can evolve over time

Serve as the technical authority for network decisions, working with stakeholders to:

• Explain trade-offs and risks clearly

• Support procurement, installation, and acceptance activities

• Guide future expansion and modernization efforts

Required Experience & Skills
Minimum of 5 years experience as a hands-on network engineer

Strong hands-on background with:

• Enterprise switches and firewalls (Cisco and Dell preferred)

• Server configuration (Linux and Windows), Windows workstations

• Fiber and copper cabling in industrial environments

• VLANs, subnetting, routing, and network segmentation
Experience working in air-gapped or highly restricted environments
Ability to operate independently and make sound technical decisions with minimal oversight
Strong documentation and communication skills
Minimum of Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Computer Engineering, or related discipline, or equivalent military experience
Minimum of DOD…